Boot or shoe.



M. BRIHAYE.

BOOT 0R SHOE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED Ina, 1909.

1,021,819. v Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

I MEDERIG BRIHAYE, or- GLAGEON, FRANCE. a

' BOOT OR SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Apr, 2, 1912.

Application filed May 8, 1909. Serial No. 494,911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Miiniinio BRII-IAYE, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at Glageon, Nord, in the Republic of France, havemade'a new and useful Invention in Boots or Shoes, of which the following isa specification.

My invention is directed particularly to an improvement in boots andshoes which dispenses with the stiffeners usually employed for impartingrigidity to various parts thereof.

In boots and shoes as now constructed it is customary to stiffen suchparts as the heel piece, the toe cap or like parts by the addition ofpieces of stiff leather, card-board, etc. My improvement is in thenature of a complete article for such use in the various,

parts of the boot o-r shoe.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figures 1 to 7 inclusive illustrate in plan view various structuralparts of a boot or shoe treated in accordance with the process by whichI prepare my novel improvement. Fig. 8 is a sectional" view showing theconstruction and use of a stiffener as heretofore employed at the heelof a shoe; and, Fig. 9

respectively. In Fig. 5 is illustrated a piece of leather as prepared inaccordance with my invention, so as to form the upper and the vamp. InFig. 6 there is represented the same piece, the upper having been foldedbefore blocking; while in Fig. 7 there is illustrated a similar view tothe preceding figure with the vamp bent.

' The pieces of leather represented in Figs. 1 and 3 are cut from softtanned leather, either split or not, and then subjected to theoperations of hammering and stretching. The shaded portions a and 6indicate the parts intended for forming the stiifener and the toe-cap;that is to say, those parts which are required to have the desiredstiffness for use in a boo-t or shoe. The other part-s which should bepliable may be skived and impregnated with oil or dubbing, or in anywell known way, according to the nature of the leather employed. Inorder that the parts a and b may present the firmness already referredto'they are subjected to aspecial treatment, consisting in firstimpregnating the leather with gelatin and then tanning it. For thispurpose a solution of bichromate of potash and hydrochloric acid isemployed. The hydrochloric acid liberates the chromic acid which is thenreduced by a solution of hyposulfite of soda and hydrochloric acid; thenwashed in a borax bath, and finally washed in a clear water bath.Gelatin alone would give a leather liable to crack,- but the treatmentto which it is subjected and which is substantially a chrome tanning,serves to form oxid of chromium which fixes it definitely upon thefibers of the leather while, at the same time, preventing the latterfrom sticking together. This latter property, therefore, preserves theelasticity of the leather and imparts a great deal of rigidity to itbecause the cellules are completely filled with tanned gelatin. Thismoistened leather resumes all its firmness on drying, contrary to whatis the case with smoothed and hammered leather. At the same time it willbe found that practically speaking it becomes set in the form that hasbeen imparted to it. This latter property is very important in the caseof the stiflener and the rigid toe cap of a boot,

and practically renders it necessary to chrome the leather after it hasbeen given its final form whichit preserves in spite of deformationefiorts to which the said parts a and b are subjected. Boots and shoesmanufactured from leather in accordance with the hereinbefore describedprocess, therefore, present an upper (Figs. 1 and 2) and a vamp (Figs. 3and at) each in a single piece without a lining or reinforcementwhich,particularly in the case of rough or sporting boots, may causeinjuries and which in any case cause the upper part of the boot to cutand wear. It will be noted that the upper and the vamp may form only asingle piece, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Ordinarily the stiffener is interposed between the upper and the lowerstiffener which are of pliable leather impregnated with oil or dubbing(Fig. 8); these three parts being of excessive thiclmess it is necessaryto skive them, that is to say, to reduce them at c to enable them to beplaced in position. Consequently, the strength is reduced precisely atthe places most exposed to strain. These three parts are also pressedand held by riveting or screwing between two pieces of smooth firmleather (the first sole and the sole). As is known, in these conditionsit is impossible to obtain the perfect combination of five assembledparts of such different natures.

With the process hereinbefore described it is not necessary to skive theleather which thus retains all its strength (Fig. 9) and constitutes anassemblage consisting only of three thicknesses presenting the samedegree of firmness which results in greater strength, and this advantageis likewise ob tained in the toe cap.

It will be noted that firmness of the parts a and I) might be obtainedby the ordinary methods of smoothing and beating, but this latteroperation gives a crushed leather which is sometimes too thin. Inaddition to this, owing to the fact that it is not impermeable, moisturecauses it to lose all firmness, and in use it becomes hopelesslydeformed. The boot is then useless and this can be seen when hardstiffeners and toe caps in separate pieces are used. The defectsresulting from this method of manufacture are obviated by the treatmenthereinbefore described.

Although leather subjected to the method of treatment explained above ismore particularly suitable for rough boots, it is obvious that it can beused in many other cases where it is necessary to obtain specialfirmness in every part of a piece of leather or only at certain places.The dressing specified above is not only suitable for any purpose, butalso for the treatment of any fabric or felt.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat-- ent of the United States is 1. In a boot or shoe, thecombination of an upper and a vamp each in a single piece and comprisingsoft tanned parts and stiff tanned parts.

2. In a boot or shoe, the combination of an upper and a vamp each in asingle piece and comprising soft tanned parts and parts stifi'ened bychrome tanning.

3. In a boot or shoe, a combined upper and vamp comprising soft tannedparts and stifl' tanned parts, the stiff tanned parts being located atthe heel and toe portions of the upper and vamp, respectively, wherebythe necessity of counter and toe cap stiffeners at these points isobviated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MEDERIO BRIHAYE.

Witnesses CLEMARE, MAQUESTIANSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

